Matt Varga Though the stories that Philip Lipschutz and his UNHEARDOF brand may zig and zag conceptually, the phrase “loyal to the soil” is accurate for every single one. Regardless of what specific slice he chooses to examine, the heartbeat of Cincinnati is felt every time he goes to the drawing board, be it with personal narratives like his “Grandma’s Couch” or the city’s famed exports with the “Piggy Runner.”
Now shifting to the sports world, the Ohio locale’s MLS presence is in focus, as UNHEARDOF mints two adidas Forum colorways for FC Cincinnati. The duo splits between home and away configurations, united by embossed gothic “FC Cincy” text on the sidewalls and a host of team-specific badges, including Gary the Lion on the heel and a similarly medieval “FCC” emblem toward the toe. Though the “Home” colorway focuses on trademark blue and orange, the “Away” cedes space to accent coloring, from the off-white foundation to glimmering metallic silver Three Stripes.
Generally speaking, though this collaboration initially reads as a simple ode to a squad that puts on for Cincy the way that UNHEARDOF does, there is a more interpersonal aspect at play. Lipschutz and former FCC midfielder Corben Bone are genuinely close to one another — graphic insoles even display one of Bone’s goals, taken from a game in which he gifted Lipschutz tickets.
The UNHEARDOF x FC Cincinnati x adidas Forum Lo in both colorways is expected to be exclusive to the store itself, dropping first-come, first-served on October 24th. Reportedly, 750 pairs of the blue come with a special box — retail is set at $165 for either shoe. Any unsold inventory is expected to hit their site in the days following.
